Steam Machine tested: Red Dead Redemption 2 performs impressively at 1440p, but there are compromises
You no longer have to guess how much the Steam Machine will cost, when it will be available, or how much it might have cost if AI companies hadn't driven up the price of PC components. However, the bigger question remains: how does the Steam Machine actually perform? Can it handle AAA games at high resolutions while still delivering smooth frame rates?
Thankfully, you no longer have to speculate. ETA Prime recently got their hands on the new Steam Machine and published a detailed video showcasing the unboxing and setup process for Valve's new gaming console/mini-PC hybrid, along with some official accessories. More importantly, they put the Steam Machine through its paces by testing several popular games, both with and without FSR enabled, to see exactly how it stacks up in 2026.
To provide some context before diving into the gaming benchmarks, the Steam Machine tested was the top-of-the-line 2TB model. However, it features the same semi-custom AMD Zen 4 processor with six cores and 12 threads, along with the same custom Radeon GPU with 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, as every other Steam Machine variant.
In other words, the only difference between the various models is storage capacity. Whether you buy the base model or the flagship version, gaming performance remains identical across the lineup.
First up on the test bench was Red Dead Redemption 2, which ran at around 85 FPS in outdoor areas and climbed to roughly 95 FPS while roaming indoors at 1440p using a mix of High and Ultra graphics settings.
Meanwhile, Cyberpunk 2077 performed best at 1080p using Ultra settings, delivering between 70 to 85 FPS with upscaling set to Auto. At 1440p Ultra with FSR set to Balanced, the Steam Machine averaged around 72 FPS, although frame rates occasionally dipped below 60 FPS in demanding scenes. However, at native 1440p Ultra settings, Cyberpunk 2077 ran at only 45 FPS.
The Steam Machine also handled Resident Evil: Requiem, one of the latest AAA releases, very well, albeit with a bit of upscaling. At 1440p using High settings with FSR set to Balanced, the game ran at around 110 FPS.
Meanwhile, Forza Horizon 6, another recent AAA release, ran at around 71 FPS at 1440p using High settings without any upscaling.
However, the Steam Machine struggled in Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, averaging 58 FPS at 1080p using the Very High preset in the in-game benchmark. It also had trouble maintaining a steady 60 FPS in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart at 1440p on High settings, even with FSR set to Balanced.
The YouTuber also tested several other games, including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which is set to receive a major free update next year, Elden Ring, and many more. You can watch the full video linked below for a complete breakdown of the Steam Machine's gaming performance.
Lastly, based on their initial impressions of the highly anticipated Steam Machine, ETA Prime believes performance is likely to improve significantly over time through updates to SteamOS and ongoing enhancements to Proton's compatibility layer.
That said, demanding titles running at 1440p, can see frame rates dip below 60 FPS during scenes with heavy particle effects. As a result, using a VRR/FreeSync-compatible display is highly recommended, as it can help eliminate stuttering and screen tearing during these performance drops, the YouTuber notes.
With computing more expensive than ever in 2026 and gaming increasingly becoming a hobby that many people can no longer afford, do you think the Steam Machine's pricing and performance improve the current situation or make it worse? Would you buy a Steam Machine now or wait for prices to come down?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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